Driving around town this past week I've started to see the Student Driver vehicles out on the street. Usually this provides a smile, simultaneously condescending and sympathetic. The students don't make me nervous. I figure they're more freaked out than the experienced drivers around them. We all provide wide berth for the student and they let us past.
I have little memory of driver's training other than thinking I wouldn't want my instructor driving me anywhere. Not that I had ever driven with him. No, much worse: He had been my lousy high-school tennis coach, history teacher, and vice principal. (It was a very small high-school). Nonetheless, he was the guy who signed off on my driver's course work and enabled me to proceed to spend time behind the wheel with Mom and Dad. I guess it worked, I've had less than 3 moving violations, never caused an accident (that I'm aware of), and have never been in a serious accident-- except for that raccoon I smoked one night a few years ago driving to the airport. All in all, I think I learned to drive with some success.
There is a t-shirt I've seen that says, "If You Can Read This Thank A Teacher." It seems strange that an occupation that is so critical for the development and maintenance of a free society is so trivialized in ours. I look at that poor bastard riding shotgun next to that 15 year old student driver and I have to think he is an all-star. In retrospect, even my own lousy tennis coach was doing what he was supposed to, what was required, what someone had to do.
Teaching is one of the great professions but is never given its due. Think about the many teachers who've touched your life. Chances are, there were some great ones and their influence continues to live with you today. Thank a teacher. Fight for education.
No comments:
Post a Comment